1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air bag system for a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known an automobile equipped with an air bag system as a safety device for a passenger in which the passenger is prevented from being injured in case of a collision thereof. For example, Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 62-198547, laid open to the public in 1987, discloses an air bag system provided with an air bag and an unit including an air bag, inflater for generating gas by which the air bag is inflated. The air bag unit is disposed within a space defined by an instrument panel and rearward of a dash upper panel. In the air bag system, the inflater is actuated to produce the gas to develop and inflate the air bag in order to protect the head and the breast of the passenger when a collision occurs.
With this conventional air bag system, it should, however, be noted that when the dash upper panel is deformed and moved rearwardly, so as to interfere with the air bag unit when the collision occurs, the air bag system will not be able to operate properly.
In order to prevent this problem, it is proposed that the dash upper panel be diposed so as to be spaced from the air bag unit and not to interfere with the air bag in case of collision. However, this structure is disadvantageous in that a passenger compartment is reduced, resulting from providing enough space between the dash upper panel and the air bag system.